Article | : | Dancing Tid-bits Issue #150, Thursday, July 31, 2003
Today's Topic: The Feather Step
Three simple steps going forward for the Man (RLR) and back for the Lady (LRL), O' My, how much can be written and talked about it and how much time and money we can spend on learning and yet it goes on and on.
In my previous Tid-bits, I talked about a lesson I took from Glenn Weise. We talked about the stride of these three simple steps for the man and if you recall how I was creating a rather unpleasant line stepping outside partner on the last step. Basically, with a desire to take a long stride I was stepping too far forward with my RF and past lady's LF. Actually this Outside Partner concept applies every where and it has to be remembered that this a foot position and an attempt is made to keep the body contact to it's maximum with little rotation of the Center.
I also invited some comments about the best words to describe the nature of these three simple steps which I had heard at a Blackpool Lecture. Please read the following comments from none other than but the great master, Stephen Hillier:,
(Quotr), Dear Max, At last I have replied to one of your Questions. I must say that I enjoy your Tid-bits. I think that the term you are looking for is Step-Swing-Drift.Linger is not quite the correct word in this case.This may have been taught at the Blackpool congress, but I cannot be sure of this. Further, you spoke about a lesson you had taken with a teacher who said that when you go backward the 2nd Q is slightly bigger and I agree with this.So the 2nd Q going backwards is not the same as the 2nd Q going forward, which sounds logical to me. I look forward to hearing from you again soon.Maybe in the beginning of November in Detroit. Best wishes, Stephen & Jennifer (Umquote)..
What do you say? Isn't he a gentleman and a scholar. So, I hope you will remember this feeling "Step, Swing and Drift". Also going back for the lady creates a different stride because she is basically doing a TH, TH, TH foot work. So with Stephen's comments you can put this into your dancing repertoire and good teaching methods. Thank you for reading this Tid-bit. With Best Wishes, Max
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